more inelegant ones, is an alteration without a precedent; and at once as unwarrantable as it is disadvantageous.

His system has eleven classes of Insects. Linnæus had seven orders. The first of the Fabrician classes is called Eleutherata; it contains the Coleoptera of Linnæus.

The second, Ulonata, and contains the Linnæan Hemipterous genera, Gryllus, Blatta, and Mantis; and, we think, very properly, the genus Forficula, which Linnæus arranged with his Coleoptera, from its similitude, probably, to Staphilinus.

The third class of Fabricius is termed Synistata; it is composed of the Linnæan Neuropterous genera Ephemera, Phryganea, Hemerobius, Rhaphidia, Panorpa, and Myrmelion; and also the Linnæan apterous genera of Lepisma, Podura, and Termes, because they agree in their Instrumenta cibaria with the others.

His fourth class, Piezata, corresponds exactly with the Linnæan Hymenoptera.

His fifth, Odonata, contains the Linnæan genus Libellula only, which, however, he divides into three genera, viz. Libellula, Aeshna, Agrion.

His sixth class, Mitosata, embraces only Scolopendra, Julus, and Oniscus.

His seventh, Unogata, comprises the Linnæan Aranea, Phalangium, and Scorpio.

His eighth, Agonata, is occupied by Cancer only, but divided into eleven genera.

His ninth, Glossata, corresponds with the Linnæan Lepidoptera.

His tenth, Ryngota, contains Fulgona, Cicada, Cimex, Pulex, Aphis, Thrips, Notonecta, Nepa, . Chermes, and Coccus, of Linnæus.

And his eleventh, Antliata, embraces the same Insects as the Linnæan order Diptera.

It will be perceived, the Linnæan order, Aptera, is quite abolished; at which, however, we are not satisfied but the reader must judge for himself.

The celebrated author, of whom we are treating, is not only still living, but still writing: long and happy may he live!—and long also, and prosperously, may he write! he who has already done more towards the advancement of Entomology at large, than any individual whatever; and but for whom, the science would now, probably, have been not much advanced from the state Linnæus left it in; would not have had its species doubled and trebled, and clearly defined: for, while we are cavilling about the genera, and the generical characters of the Fabrician system, we overlook, and neglect to appreciate, its unquestionably more meritorious parts. It is in almost general use on the Continent, and must eventually be so here; with the exception of the names of some of the classes; and further excepting, the incongruous, and, perhaps, unnatural distribution of some of its materials.

But to return from this digression, which, however, was an essential one, to the Entomological writers of Britain, the next of whom, in the order of chronology, is

MATTHEW MARTYN,

who published at Exeter, in the year 1785, in 12mo. "The Aurelian's Vade Mecum; containing an Eng "lish alphabetical and Linnæan systematical Catalogue of Plants, affording nourishment to Butter"flies, Hawk-Moths, and Moths in the state of "Caterpillar; collected from various authors, by "Matthew Martyn."

The Insects enumerated in this Catalogue, are arranged, not as might be expected, according to some system of Entomology, or by the order of the alphabet; but, whimsically enough, according to the Linnæan classes and orders of the plants on which they feed! It is not extensive, and the same Insects occur in many pages of the Catalogue, if they happen to be feeders on many plants, which is frequently the case. The author gives the Vade Mecum as the forerunner, merely, of a more complete work on British Entomology, which it should seem he was preparing at the time he published the present one; but it appears he never was able to fulfil his intentions; for he "sleeps with his ancestors, in the narrow house."

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In 1789, a second edition of

DR. BERKENHOUT's

"Outlines," appeared under the title of "Synopsis "of the Natural History of Great Britain and Ire"land; containing a systematic arrangement, and "concise description, of all the animals, vegetables, "and fossils, which have hitherto been discovered in

2

"these kingdoms; by John Berkenhout M. D. being "a second edition of the Outlines, &c." From the following passage in the preface, it appears that the present edition of this work, was a mere reprinting, without any addition, as far as concerned the entomological department of the book. "Of Insects, near 10,000 species have been described, and probably

many thousands still remain undiscovered. In "this class, I have added nothing to those that 66 were in the former edition. They are upwards of " 600."

We arrive now at the commencement of a very beautiful but desultory work, which sometimes touches on Entomology; the "Vivarium Naturæ, the Na"turalist's Miscellany," by

DR. SHAW and FRED. P. NODDER, octavo, London, 1790. This work has been regularly published, in monthly numbers, of three plates each, with descriptions in Latin and English: and still continues to be published. The plates are elegantly executed, and richly coloured; and, in the Entomological department, chiefly pourtray select specimens of exotic Insects, of the more beautiful, or interesting kinds: yet, occasionally, british ones, of a more common cast, such as Papilio Io, Atalanta, Phalana Caja, &c. The descriptions however, are, in some instances, shorter than could be wished; and the reverses, or under sides, of the Papiliones, never depicted, which sometimes renders the figures less intelligible than they otherwise would be. The upper side of Papilio Thoas is figured on plate 331;

its generic and specific characters, given from Linnæus and Fabricius, and these words only added, "Americam meridionalem incolit Papilio Thoas, magnitudine naturali in tabula depictus."

The next writer in the chronological order of this paper, is

E. DONOVAN,

who, in 1792, began to publish, at London, in octavo numbers, containing three plates each, and English descriptions, "The Natural History of British In"sects; explaining them in their several states, with "the periods of their transformations, their food, "œconomy, &c.; together with the History of such "minute Insects as require investigation by the Microscope: the whole illustrated by Coloured Figures, designed and executed from living speci"mens."

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This work was regularly published in monthly numbers, until ten volumes, of twelve numbers each, were completed, when it closed: but it has been resumed, in the present year, and an eleventh volume added; in an advertisement prefixed to which we are assured, "that the future volumes, "with the preceding, shall comprise, collectively, a

general history and elucidation, in appropriate descriptions and figures, of the whole Entomologia "Britannica, so far as the author's cabinet, and the obliging communications of his friends, will per"mit."

The eleventh volume of this work does not appear inferior in execution to the ten preceding ones, with